Shahroze Rauf | News Editor
Featured Image: With the elections over and a minority Liberal government, Canada braces for the changes it may see this term. | Courtesy of Pixabay
According to a poll by Leger, more than one third of responders say they voted hoping their vote would prevent another party’s candidate from winning.
Last week, Canada elected a minority Liberal government. Now, newly-elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hopes to continue the Liberal plans and attempt to repair the damage done during the elections as the party lost its majority.
“We all want safer communities, a clean planet and a good quality of life. We want this for ourselves, for our neighbours, for our kids and our grandkids. We seek hardship for none and prosperity for all. That is the world we’re working toward, and if we unite around these common goals, I know we can achieve them,” said Trudeau after winning the elections.
“I believe this election has shown the problems with the current system,” said NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh to reporters in Burnaby, B.C after the election results. “I think that the results show not a broken Canada ?— the people, in a lot of ways, share so many values, share far more values than they have separate. But the results show a broken electoral system, and it’s certainly clear we need to fix it.”
Fourth-year French studies student Stefania Marchesan found herself aligning often with Singh’s values and overall campaign.
“Watching the press surrounding the elections, I was impressed by Jagmeet Singh and how he spoke on social issues. As a politician he recognized all people. I felt that he truly validated people that are too often marginalized in our society,” Marchesan says.
But when it came down to striking a name off in the polls, Marchesan was not able to vote NDP.
“I felt really under informed about what changes the candidate in my riding would make if elected. I was very familiar with the Liberal candidate and the Conservative candidate promises for the community.”
On the other hand, sixth-year French studies student Catherin Morassutti says that the provincial government’s decisions pushed her to focus her vote against the Conservatives in the federal elections.
“I do not trust the Conservatives. In my opinion, you are voting for Ford and frankly everyone is against what he’s doing. The Conservative platform also didn’t make sense to me. How can Canada afford to give seniors and other people what they need? How does Scheer promise to increase the autism budget? What is he getting rid of or decreasing funds for?”
Morassuti adds that while the Conservative promises seemed empty to her, the Liberal government delivered on some of their promises during their term.
“Justin Trudeau created jobs, took away the child benefits credit from families that already made enough. I also believe that the Liberals tried their best to make the best decisions. Trudeau did accomplish some of the promises from his last campaign. Hopefully, he does better this time around.”
Though the Liberals have won another term as a minority government, it is still too early to know whether or not they can change the Ford government’s disposition when making controversial changes.
